Car vibrating mechanism



June 1935 A. L. BQRGESON 3,190,474

CAR VIBRATING MECHANISM Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 47 27 3 48 00 0G Ihfl' All" i 6 6 .1|

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INVENTOR. ARLAND L. BORGESON ATTORNEY Jun 22, 1965 A. L. ems-Esau CAR VIBRATING MECHANISM Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ARLA ND L. BORGESON WMWZ ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofl d hg ii i Patented June 22, 1965 ice ems

3,199,474 CAR VIBRATENG MECHANISM Ariand L. lisergeson, Gienview, Iih, assignor to National Conveyor & Supply Go, a corporation of Iiiinois Filed Apr. 10, I963, Ser. No. 272,063 11 Ciairns. (El. 214-833) This invention is directed to new and useful improvements in freight car vibrators which are used to hasten the unloading of bulk materials, such as coal, grain or the like from the car.

Various types of vibrators and mountings therefor have been known and used for many years. Some of these systerns have been supported on the ground alongside the car being unloaded while others have been supported on the car. Ground supported equipment, while being readily adaptable to various styles, sizes and shapes of cars, is not highly efiicient because a large amount of the energy of vibration is transmitted to and absorbed by the ground. Also, it is ditficult to provide adequate connections between such equipment and the car being unloaded to insure the proper transmission of vibratory forces to the car. Car supported vibrators, while being more efficient in terms of transmitting the energy of vibration to the car, require special mounting facilities which are adapted to one particular style and shape of car. With this background of the art in mind, the major purpose of the present invention is to create a car supported vibrator system that is readily adaptable to and useful with various styles, shapes and sizes of cars, and especially to both open top cars and closed top cars.

A related purpose is to provide simple and effective vibrator mounting means for a closed top car, such mounting means being so formed as to fit cars of varying widths, heights and roof constructions.

Another related purpose is the creation of a vibrator mounting system for closed top cars wherein the system is easily attached to and detached from the car.

Other and further purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the ensuing specification and claims, when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation view of the present invention as applied to a closed top freight car;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed view of certain elements illustrated in FIGURE 1, with certain portions being illustrated in section for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but illustrating another operative position of the elements illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 but illustrating another embodiment of the elements illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1 FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of certain other elements illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of still other elements illustrated in FIGURE 1.

With specific reference now to the drawings, wherein like characters designate like elements throughout, and in the first instance to FIGURE 1, the numeral 10 generally designates a typical freight car with which the present invention may be used. The car, as shown, has the usual and customary side walls 11 and 12, and pitched roof 13. In a car of this type, the car has certain reinforcing elements 14 positioned at the bottom of the car above the wheels 15, and extending generally longitudinally of the car.

Cars of this type are customarily provided with hopper gates or doors in the bottom thereof, so as to enable unloading of the car directly through the bottom.

In accordance with the present invention, a vibrating mechanism 16 is mounted on an upright support 17 which extends generally vertically along one side wall of the car, as for example side wall 11. The mechanism 16 may be comprised of an electric motor which drives an eccentric weight, as is well known to the art. Mechanism 16 includes a mounting pad 18 which has a fiat surface adapted to bear against the flat side wall of the car and transmit the energy of vibration developed by mechanism 16 to the car. The mechanism 16 is fixed to the upright support 17.

The lower portion of support 17 has a tension bar subassembly 19 fixed thereto for engagement with some part of the bottom of the car, as for example, the support 14, beneath the car. The tension bar 19 may be fixed to the lower portion of support 17 and may be adjustably mounted on the support lengthwise of the support, with suitable means being provided for fixing the tension bar at a selected vertical position on support 17.

Support 17 may have eyelets 20 fixed thereon so as to enable handling and mounting thereof to a car from a crane or cable hoisting apparatus.

The upper portion of support 17 supports a connecting member 21 which is adjustably mounted lengthwise of and vertically with respect to support 1'7. The connecting member 21 may conveniently take the form of a boxlike body 22 which embraces the beamlike support 17 in a slidable relation. The support 17 has a plurality of vertically spaced apertures 23 therein, which apertures are adapted for reception of a pin 24 which is passed through the boxlike structure 22. and through a selected aperture so as to hold the connecting member 21 at a selected height on support 17. The connecting member 21 also includes an outwardly extending portion 25 which is shaped to define a downwardly extending projection or hooked portion 26. Hooked portion 26 may be so formed as to enable suspension of the upper portion of the support from the upper edge of the side of an open top car.

When so used, the hooklike portion is received over the upper edge of the side of such a car and the tension means 19 is adjusted so as to bring the pad 18 into a firm and pressing engagement with the side of the car which is to be vibrated. This general principle of sustaining vibrating mechanism from the one side wall of a car is known to the art. Mechanism 16, support 17, and the tension means 19 may be taken as generally representative of the class of vibrating mechanisms which are known to the art and with which the present invention is cmbodied.

In order to adapt support 17 and mechanism 16 to a closed top car, an elongated arm 27 is positioned on the car and in position to receive connecting member 21 so as to suspend the support 1'7 and mechanism Id from the top of the ear. Arm 2'7 has a length such that it spans the entire width of the car. Preferably, it is greater than the width of the car, so as to fully overlie the car a appears in FIGURE 1. Mounting means are provided between the arm 27 and the top 13 of the car. Arm 2.7, for example, has pairs of depending flanges 28 which are positioned on opposite sides of the center of the arm The flanges 28 are spaced lengthwise of arm 27, so that they may be positioned on opposite sides of the center of the roof of the car which is designated generally at 2%. Mounting pads are pivotally and adjustably mounted on the flanges 28. The mounting pads may be comprised of a base plate 2% with a rubber or rubberlike thickness of material 30 fixed to the underside of the plate 29. This cushion material 39 provides an essentially fiat surface 31 for engagement with the top of the car on which the structure is mounted. Base plate 29 includes upwardly extending flanges 32 which are adapted to extend alongside the pair of flanges 28 on which the pad is mounted. Flanges 32 carry a pivot pin 33 which is received through both of the flanges 32 and through apertures formed in the flanges 28. The apertures in the flanges 28 are preferably made of an elongated, generally arcuate form struck around a center above the flanges 28. These apertures have spaced recesses 34 at the upper sides thereof, which recesses are spaced longitudinally of arm 27. Each of these recesses 34 has a curvilinear configuration corresponding generally to the curvilinear cross section of the pin 33. Thus, the mounting pads may be moved lengthwise of the arm 27 with the pin 33 positioned for reception in one or the other of the recesses 34. The pads are thus adjustable lengthwise of the arm 27 to accommodate the varying widths of cars while at the same time providing variant distribution of the weight of arm 27 on the top of the car, in accordance with desired stress-distributing characteristics.

Arm 27 also includes means for gripping or engaging the side 12 of the car which is opposite to the side which receives the energy of vibration. A depending member 35 is adjustably mounted on arm 27, as by means of the use of a pin 35 which is removably received through a boxlike body 37 at the upper end of arm 35 and through a selected one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 38 at the outer end of arm 27. The lower end of arm 35 has a mounting pad 39 pivotally mounted thereon. This mounting pad is formed in a fashion somewhat similar to the pads for the top of the car and includes a thickness of cushioning material 49 facing inwardly for a flat, surface-to-surface engagement with the side 12 of the car. Mounting pad 39 includes a pair of flanges 41 which are connected to flanges 42 on arm 35 as by means of a removable pivot pin 43. Flanges 41 may include a plurality of apertures 41a for reception of pin 43 and a corresponding adjustment of the mounting pad with respect to the position of arm 35.

Arm 35 has a length such, with relation to the remainder of the structure, that pad 39 is positioned considerably below the corner formed at the junction of side wall 12 and top 13 of the car. This length is such that an arc struck about pad 193 as a center and passing through any portion of pad 39 will pass through both the side of the car 12 and roof 13.

The other end of arm 27 has a recess 44 therein, which recess is adapted for reception of the downwardly extending projection 26 of the connecting member 25. Thus, connecting member 21 may be removably coupled to arm 27 as appears in FIGURES 2 and 3, simply by dropping projection 26 into the recess 44.

In some cases it is desirable to provide a firm and snug engagement between arm 27 and connecting member 21. In this event, the recess 45 in the inner end of arm 27 may be more or less wedge-shaped to correspond with a wedge-shaped projection 46 on connecting member 21. Thus, when connecting member 21 is seated in arm 27, the weight of the support 17, mechanism 16 and remaining structure pulls the wedge-shaped surfaces into a tight fitting engagement.

Arm 27 may include a flange or pair of flanges 47 on the upper surface thereof to enable convenient handling by a crane or hoisting assembly. The center of gravity of the arms 27 and 35 is preferably between the pads 30, while being closer to the pad 30 furthest from member 21.. Flanges 47 are located at this point. Depending arm 35 may have a handle portion defined by a bail 48 on the upper portion thereof to enable convenient sliding movement of arm 35 along the length of arm 27 to a selected position of adjustment.

When using apparatus of the type herein disclosed, arm 27 may be first positioned on top of a freight car, as appears in FIGURE 1. When so positioned, arm 27 simply rests on the closed top of the car. Support 17 and the mechanism 16 are then moved into a position alongside the side wall 11. It may be so moved by hoisting apparatus. When positioned vertically alongside the car, the projection 26 is simply dropped into the recess 44, in which case the weight of the support 17 and vibrating mechanism associated therewith is taken by the arm 27. Any forces which tend to pull the arm 27 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 are resisted by the firm engagement of mounting pad 39 with the side wall 12 of the car. Support 17 is then positioned to bring pad 18 into firm engagement with side 11 of the car and the tension member 19 is connected and adjusted to create a tight pressing relation between pad 18 and side 11 of the car.

As tension member 19 is tightened to bring about this increased pressure, the upper outer end of support 17 tends to be pulled away from the car, all of which results in a pulling force through arm 27 to the side 12 of the car. The structure is thus connected to diagonally opposite corner sections of the car in a tight embracing engagement.

When the vibrating mechanism is energized, the energy of vibration is transmitted both through pad 18, pads 30 and 40, all of which increases the vibrational and shaking efiects imparted to the car to aid in the unloading process. The structure is easily disconnected from the car by disconnecting tension member 19 and then lifting support 17 from its seating engagement with the arm 27. Arm 27 may then be lifted from the car.

The structure is easily adaptable to varied shapes and sizes of cars. In this regard, connecting member 21 is easily adjusted for varying heights of cars, all of which brings about a corresponding vertical adjustment of arm 27 and arm 35. Both the mounting pads 30 and 40 are easily adjustable lengthwise of arm 27 to accommodate varying widths of cars.

The pivotal mounting of the mounting pads 30 and 40 enables these pads to swing into varying positions with respect to the arms 27 and 35 to accommodate variances in the shape of the car on which the structure is mounted, while at the same time enabling an essentially flat, surfaceto-surface engagement between the pads and the car.

When used with an open top car, connecting member 21 may be employed without the arm structure 27 by bringing the hooklike portion over the exposed upper edge of the side wall of the car.

The supports 17 and arms 27 and 35 are of boxlike cross section to provide adequate strength in the assembly.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A car vibrating structure including an elongated upright; support with vibration producing means thereon, an arm removably attached to said support and extending laterally from said support at an upper portion of said support, depending mounting pad means on said arm and formed and adapted for engagement with the top of a car to thereby support said arm and support thereon, means on said arm formed and adapted for engagement with the side of a car, said mounting pad means being positioned between said support and said last named means, means on said support for transmitting the vibratory forces to the side of a car, and means on said support for connecting the lower portion of said support to a lower portion of a car.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said arm has an upwardly open recess therein, and said support has a downwardly extending projection removably seated in said recess.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said depending mounting pad means include a pair of flat surfaced elements pivotally mounted on said arm, said elements being adjustably mounted on said arm for positioning at varying distances from said support.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said arm has an upwardly open recess therein, and said support has a downwardly extending projection seated in said recess, said projection and recess being shaped for a wedging engagement therebetween.

5. A car vibrating structure including a vibrating mechanism support having tension means adapted for connec tion to the undersurface of a car and pressure means formed and adapted for a pressing engagement with one side of a car, a second support formed and adapted to span the corner at the other side and top of the car, said second support having means engageable with said top and other side of said car, said supports being removably connected together with said first support being suspended on said second support, said tension means being adjustable to thereby move said pressure means into a firm engagement with said one side while exerting tension forces on said other support to create a firm engagement with said other side and top of the car.

6. An adaptor support for use with car vibrators of the type having an upstanding vibrating mechanism support and a hook at the upper end thereof for engagement with the side of a car, said adaptor arm including an elongated member formed and adapted to span the top of a car, said member having a depending arm portion at one end thereof, said depending arm portion including a pad formed and adapted for engagement with the side of a car, the other end of said member including a recess sized and portioned for snug reception of the hook of said car vibrator, said member having mounting pad means supported intermediate the ends thereof and adapted for supporting engagement with the top of a car spanned by said member.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the weight of said arm is distributed so that it may rest, by gravity on the top of a car.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein said arm has depending flanges and said mounting pad means include flange means adapted to extend alongside said depending flanges, said depending flanges having elongated apertures therein, said flange means including pivot pins received in said apertures.

9. An adaptor support for use with car vibrators of the type having an upstanding support and a hook at the upper end thereof for engagement with the side of a car, said support including an elongated member formed and adapted to span the top of a car, said member having a downwardly extending arm fixed thereto at one end portion thereof, gripping means on said arm, the opposite end of said member having an upwardly open recess sized and proportioned for reception of the hook of a car vibrator, said member having downwardly facing support means intermediate the ends thereof for engagement with and supporting the adaptor and car vibrator on the car to be vibrated.

10. A car vibrating structure for closed top cars ineluding supporting means formed and adapted to span the top of a closed top car, said supporting means including spaced depending portions formed and adapted to extend along the opposite sides of said car, said supporting means including depending means between said spaced portions for engagement with the closed top of said car and between the sides of the car, said spaced portions including means formed and adapted for engagement with the opposite sides of said car, vibration producing means carried by one of said depending portions whereby vibratory forces produced thereby are trans mitted through said supporting means to the closed top and opposite sides of said car, and means for retaining the spaced depending portions in engagement with the car during the operation of the vibration producing means.

11. A car vibrating structure for closed top cars ineluding supporting means formed and adapted to span the top of a closed top car, said supporting means ineluding spaced depending portions formed and adapted to extend along the opposite sides of said car, said supporting means including depending means between said spaced portions for engagement with the closed top of said car, said spaced portions including means formed and adapted for engagement with the opposite sides of said car, vibration producing means carried by one of said depending portions whereby vibratory forces produced thereby are transmitted through said supporting means to the closed top and opposite sides of said car, and means for retaining the spaced depending portions in engagement with the car during the operation of the vibration producing means, said spaced portions being adjustable toward and away from one another to thereby vary the spacing therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. GERALD M. FORLENZA, Examiner. 

1. A CAR VIBRATING STRUCTURE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED UPRIGHT SUPPORT WITH VIBRATION PRODUCING MEANS THEREON, AN ARM REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORT AND EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID SUPPORT AT AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT, DEPENDING MOUNTING PAD MEANS ON SAID ARM AND FORMED AND ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOP OF A CAR TO THEREBY SUPPORT SAID ARM AND SUPPORT THEREON, MEANS ON SAID ARM FORMED AND ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE OF A CAR, SAID MOUNTING PAD MEANS BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT AND SAID LAST NAMED MEANS, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT FOR TRANSMITTING THE VIBRATORY FORCES TO THE SIDE OF A CAR, AND MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT FOR CONNECTING THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT TO A LOWER PORTION OF A CAR. 